Impact 20 Years...How have they stayed alive for so long?

[SirLucas]

I've been a lapsed fan of Impact.  I was hooked on the product back in 2002 when they ran weekly PPVs in Nashville. I remember the height of the company in the mid 2000s when they had Samoa Joe, Kurt Angle and AJ Styles tearing it up. I would say that were a distant #2, when the close of WCW left a void for WWE competition. They had prime time television on Spike (a major cable network), a video game deal, and were going on the road in large arenas for PPVs, and even running international tours. But then they peaked with Hulk Hogan coming into the company. The Impact product of today resembles little to nothing of TNA during it's Impact Zone years. 

But, they are still on a cable network. They still have a large roster of recognized names and they are still producing TV out of a studio. I am not sure what their budgets costs are or how much profit they are generating. But what remains a mystery is how in the hell are they still afloat after 20 years with all their trials and tribulations? Can someone explain it to me in simplest terms?

[BorneAgain]

I'm assuming you mean Impact/TNA with the thread and not AEW.

Simplest answer; they had enough prominent money marks like Dixie that kept the money going for a good long while (and after that finally ended) had just enough revenue from various international TV deals/investments from select parties to keep afloat until the current regime managed to right the ship. It may not even be that they earn huge profits as much as they're much smarter with their money now, and even with talent contracts, don't overextend themselves.

[SirLucas]

Mar 19, 2022 13:15:35 GMT -5 BorneAgain said:

I'm assuming you mean Impact/TNA with the thread and not AEW.

Simplest answer; they had enough prominent money marks like Dixie that kept the money going for a good long while (and after that finally ended) had just enough revenue from various international TV deals/investments from select parties to keep afloat until the current regime managed to right the ship. It may not even be that they earn huge profits as much as they're much smarter with their money now, and even with talent contracts, don't overextend themselves.

typo...fixed...thanks!

[SirLucas]

Mar 19, 2022 13:15:35 GMT -5 BorneAgain said:

I'm assuming you mean Impact/TNA with the thread and not AEW.

Simplest answer; they had enough prominent money marks like Dixie that kept the money going for a good long while (and after that finally ended) had just enough revenue from various international TV deals/investments from select parties to keep afloat until the current regime managed to right the ship. It may not even be that they earn huge profits as much as they're much smarter with their money now, and even with talent contracts, don't overextend themselves.

Do you see them as remaining a low rent independent promotion? With AEW securing that #2 spot, Impact has seemed to plateau. 

[Cyno]

Anthem bought them and basically did a soft reboot of the product. Callis and D'Amore did a ton to save that company creatively and refocus as a smaller, more open promotion that stayed in its lane as opposed to trying to compete with WWE. Anthem buying AXS TV also allowed them to get back on a more respectable network run by professionals instead of that weird hunting channel they were on.

Without Anthem and the new creative direction, at best they're on the same level as MLW or Corgan's NWA. At worst, they really are defunct.

[BorneAgain]

Impact kind of feels like what ECW was to WWF and WCW. Not so much in their mentality or presentation, but acting as a novel third company for those that don't quite fit in the big two, upcoming wrestlers getting showcased for the first time, or just older mid-card talent getting a new chances in a small pond.

[bob]

by sheer luck after Dixie got them off network tv after emailing tv executives telling them they were stupid

[JoDaNa1281]

Mar 19, 2022 13:09:20 GMT -5 SirLucas said:

I've been a lapsed fan of Impact.  I was hooked on the product back in 2002 when they ran weekly PPVs in Nashville. I remember the height of the company in the mid 2000s when they had Samoa Joe, Kurt Angle and AJ Styles tearing it up. I would say that were a distant #2, when the close of WCW left a void for WWE competition. They had prime time television on Spike (a major cable network), a video game deal, and were going on the road in large arenas for PPVs, and even running international tours. But then they peaked with Hulk Hogan coming into the company. The Impact product of today resembles little to nothing of TNA during it's Impact Zone years. 

But, they are still on a cable network. They still have a large roster of recognized names and they are still producing TV out of a studio. I am not sure what their budgets costs are or how much profit they are generating. But what remains a mystery is how in the hell are they still afloat after 20 years with all their trials and tribulations? Can someone explain it to me in simplest terms?

They haven't been in a studio since last summer or fall.

[Cyno]

Mar 19, 2022 13:50:08 GMT -5 BorneAgain said:

Impact kind of feels like what ECW was to WWF and WCW. Not so much in their mentality or presentation, but acting as a novel third company for those that don't quite fit in the big two, upcoming wrestlers getting showcased for the first time, or just older mid-card talent getting a new chances in a small pond.

They're even running some shows in the 2300 Arena soon, aka the former ECW Arena.

[Deleted]

By absoloute sheer gawd damn luck.

[Cyno]

Also, the crossover with AEW helped out a lot. Anecdotally, I know a bunch of lapsed TNA fans who started watching Impact again because of Kenny Omega.

[Rave]

The devil's own luck.

[Sephiroth]

A combo of luck and being adaptable. Few other promotions have gone through as many transformations in the same amount time.

[Zombie Mod is not a ghoul.]

a deal with the devil (probably paid off with abyss's soul as he gave damn near everything to that company.) is pretty much my best guess.

[Perpetual Nirvana]

Mar 19, 2022 13:38:39 GMT -5 Cyno said:

Anthem bought them and basically did a soft reboot of the product. Callis and D'Amore did a ton to save that company creatively and refocus as a smaller, more open promotion that stayed in its lane as opposed to trying to compete with WWE. Anthem buying AXS TV also allowed them to get back on a more respectable network run by professionals instead of that weird hunting channel they were on.

Without Anthem and the new creative direction, at best they're on the same level as MLW or Corgan's NWA. At worst, they really are defunct.

In short they managed to limp along long enough until someone actually competent took over.

[The Dark Order Inferno]

Sunk cost fallacy. Dixie pored so much money in the hole she had to keep pouring more in to justify that already spent. It's easier to blow family money than changing course and admitting she had been carnie'd at every turn. That kept the company alive til Anthem, but barely. It's funny how they were bamboozled by the same carnie lowlife she was, but unlike Dixie, they kicked him to the curb and scrapped the crap policies he pushed for.

[Deleted]

Also helps Impact/TNA have never been that expensive a company atleast compared to the competition so makes it pretty easy to pitch as cheap programming for a network to fill a slot atleast untill Anthem showed up and just bought AXS.